Shaft vibration

Post here if you want to discuss a topic specific to the MV/32, MV/34, and MV/41.
jim
1st mate
1st mate
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 10:10 pm
Location: connecticut

Re: Shaft vibration

Post by jim »

I look forward to your comments about your new mid-shaft bearing and it's benefits above and beyond your four bladed propeller . Jim
mckdj12
duetto
admiral
admiral
Posts: 984
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:18 am
Location: ICW (32043)

Re: Shaft vibration

Post by duetto »

Hi All,

This past spring we decided to follow the lead of Captnautigal, Sno' Dog and Heron and have an extra cutlass
bearing put in the forward end of the prop shaft tube. We've been thru the Tides Marine and PSS seals swaps
without satisfactory results. Whenever it got rocky rolly we'd end up with some water in the bilge. Over the
summer we contacted Gregg Burdick at Stuart Yacht Builders and made plans for the fall when we got to the boat
in Stuart.

When we met with Gregg he insisted on performing the "Full Monty" (i.e. check shafts, props, new cutlass
bearings, shaft savers, etc). After a spirited discussion we accepted Gregg's logic of setting a baseline. When
the shafts and props came back from the shop Gregg told us they were well within tolerances.

A week later we crossed the Gulfstream to the Bahamas. It wasn't our roughest crossing but there was enough
wave action to have caused leakage in the past. This time not a drop. This is but one test but it looks
promising. Anyone thinking about this upgrade should talk to Gregg.
john & diane cummings
duetto mv34 #23
Nick
admiral
admiral
Posts: 115
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:55 pm

Re: Shaft vibration

Post by Nick »

I see this thread has aged, but can confirm the problems addressed here continue! We recently had a leaking port side shaft seal. We are using tides marine shaft seals and boat has the extra support bearings mentioned. There was no shaft wobble and no bad noises so, but it turned out the shaft was too badly scored to simply slide down the new seal. We opted for a new SS shaft aqualoy 22 in place of the 19. When installed with new bearings and seals the leak continued albeit at a much slower rate. Spoke with tides marine and they groaned when told the issue was on a PDQ powercat. Seems the problem is well known to them. Given the new shaft, tides recommended actually “roughing up” the shaft surface slightly with 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper before seating the seal. They then said run the boat for at least an hour to allow the seal to “seal”. The “roughing up” definitely slowed the drip (one drop every 16 seconds) and that rate slowed even further over the next hour of operation (one drop every 40 seconds). The problem now appears to have fully resolved, but will continue to monitor.

Now we just need a weather window for a Bahamas crossing!
Nick & Barb
Catsaway
2005 PDQ34 #66
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